FOSS4G Europe is rooted in the FOSS4G Central and Eastern Europe conference series, back in 2012. The latter evolved in 2014 as the first edition of FOSS4G Europe in Bremen. The conference is now becoming the main european FOSS4G event, gathering people and OSGeo local chapters from all over Europe and beyond.

FOSS4G Europe is rooted in the FOSS4G Central and Eastern Europe conference series, back in 2012. The latter evolved in 2014 as the first edition of FOSS4G Europe in Bremen. The conference is now becoming the main european FOSS4G event, gathering people and OSGeo local chapters from all over Europe and beyond.

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meetings have already taken place.

meetings have already taken place.

a physical BOF @FOSS4G 2014 in Bremen, some mails, a BOF @FOSS4G 2015 in Como and some one physical meetings.

a physical BOF @FOSS4G 2014 in Bremen, some mails, a BOF @FOSS4G 2015 in Como and some one physical meetings.

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(todo: put meeting minutes on the wiki)

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== Why should OSGeo have a European local chapter ==

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* Europe has specific needs in terms adoption rate of open source software.

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* An important initiative called 'INSPIRE' needs specific localised attention.

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* OSGeo Europe act as a sparring partner and representation (Single point of contact) for the European institutions in Brussels on behalve OSGeo, the other committees, local chapters and projects. Giving the existing local chapters a voice in Brussels.

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* Europe also has specific business ecosystem.

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** more than 99% of all the European businesses are SME's

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** software industry in Europe is as big as the software industry in the US, but the driving forces are more divided

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** FLOSS can be used as an opportunity to create a strong industry leadership in Europe

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** OSGeo.EU can play a supporting role in this process

== Mission and objectives ==

== Mission and objectives ==

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following list of mission objectives:

following list of mission objectives:

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* Community-building and networking around specific European themes.

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* Community-building and networking around specific European themes

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* Organisation of events

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* support the European OSGeo members using FOSS4G software, help them to organise and bring into contact with governmental agencies and research institutes. Help them with European funded projects.

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: These two mission statements are working together. We believe it is important to meet people face2face. To help them to start open source initiatives, to start using open source solutions, to establish an eco-system that benefits from the cooperation, the sharing and the co-creation open source delivers.

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* Lobbying

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* encourage interoperability in European projects

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: We think it is important to speak as one voice, and to get involved with other organisations: administrations, industries, user groups, ... OSGeo.eu will actively speak as an organisation to defend the OSGeo open source spirit in the broader European community (government, academic, industry, other open initiatives).

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* Networking with other organisations and groups (notably OSG, OSM, JRC, European projects)

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* support European open standards and European directives such as INSPIRE

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* Support to OSGeo.org and other European Local Chapters

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* provide support for the use of OSGeo software in education via European curriculum development, outreach, and capacity building

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: We believe that OSGeo only can grow if supported from the base. So OSGeo Europe is willing to help OSGeo where necessary, to leverage idea's or act as an advisor if appreciated. We aim at bringing the different local initiatives together, creating a stronger group that is able to speak as one voice. To promote open source in the European administrations and their member states. To help the European geo-ict industry, learning them to promote and reuse open source technology and solutions.

Introduction

FOSS4G Europe is rooted in the FOSS4G Central and Eastern Europe conference series, back in 2012. The latter evolved in 2014 as the first edition of FOSS4G Europe in Bremen. The conference is now becoming the main european FOSS4G event, gathering people and OSGeo local chapters from all over Europe and beyond.

Since the conference in Bremen, thoughts and ideas where exchanged to organise OSGeo more on a European basis. The Industry group was started, a platform of people supporting the idea arose, but there was no real initiative for action.

This year we (OSGeoEU) have the ambition to organise a legal entity OSGEO-EU to create a stronger software group in Europe to defend the rights of open source from the perspective of the Geo-ecosystem.

In preparation for this official expression of interest, a couple of
meetings have already taken place.
a physical BOF @FOSS4G 2014 in Bremen, some mails, a BOF @FOSS4G 2015 in Como and some one physical meetings.

Why should OSGeo have a European local chapter

Europe has specific needs in terms adoption rate of open source software.

An important initiative called 'INSPIRE' needs specific localised attention.

OSGeo Europe act as a sparring partner and representation (Single point of contact) for the European institutions in Brussels on behalve OSGeo, the other committees, local chapters and projects. Giving the existing local chapters a voice in Brussels.

Europe also has specific business ecosystem.

more than 99% of all the European businesses are SME's

software industry in Europe is as big as the software industry in the US, but the driving forces are more divided

FLOSS can be used as an opportunity to create a strong industry leadership in Europe

OSGeo.EU can play a supporting role in this process

Mission and objectives

After discussion amongst the active local chapter members we come to the
following list of mission objectives:

Community-building and networking around specific European themes

support the European OSGeo members using FOSS4G software, help them to organise and bring into contact with governmental agencies and research institutes. Help them with European funded projects.

encourage interoperability in European projects

support European open standards and European directives such as INSPIRE

provide support for the use of OSGeo software in education via European curriculum development, outreach, and capacity building

to encourage communication between the different European local chapters

Tradeshows and events

FOSS4G Europe 2018

Since FOSS4G Bonn we introduced 'Topic' talks to bring certain topics into the picture. We want to continue this interesting forum on the next FOSS4G Europe conference.

We already addressed some interesting topics during some previous mail communication[1]:
These topics only become final if we can add a name of a volunteer behind them who want to address this topic during a topic talk.
The list may be appended, changed, etc...
Feel free to put your name behind a topic or suggest someone we should ask.

FOSS4G 2017

TT01 An overview of the best Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial

TT02 OSGeo-Live for INSPIRE

TT03 Sustainability of OSGeo projects

TT04 FOSS4G-Europe welcomes new volunteers to the OSGeo community

TT05 The future of SDI

TT06 Economics of FOSS4G - "Sustainability of OSGeo projects"

INSPIRE 2017 Kehl / Strasbourg

INSPIRE Conference 2017 Kehl / Strasbourg
Goal is to promote OSGeo during the conference. One of the actions is a presentation of the OSGeo-Live environment, also ready for INSPIRE.
following OSGeo members are attending:

EGU GA 2018 / Vienna

European Geoscience Union General Assembly
A OSGeo Townhall (evening event) is being conducted (a permanent fixture at the conference since 2014).
Open Source themed PICO session in the Earth and Space Science Informatics Division

BoF 24 Aug 2016

BoF 19 Jul 2017

Board meeting - meeting minutes

Next Board Meeting 30 April 2018 17:00 CET

Apparently nobody showed up for the meeting.
Holiday season?
I 've got an appology from Marc Vloemans, but no reaction from the other board members.
I will reschedule the meeting so more people of the board can attend...

OSGeo Europe - Funding

Funding 2000 Euro of seed money granted.This is sufficient to pay the startup bills for registering The OSGeo Europe organisation.
We should schedule a point on the next board meeting to think how we can generate income to make a sustainable organisation possible without cannibalising on local chapters or current sponsors.

FOSS4G Europe - topic talks

If we want to organise topic talks on the next FOSS4G conference in Portugal, we will have to start with a programme, and advertise the content. (As indicated by Markus and Till).
We need volunteers to organise the topics. Who will volunteer?

Meeting Copernicus project

There was a meeting with Till Adams and Dirk Frigne with Annekatrien, who is working as a consultant for the copernicus project.
The goal is to set up a plan how we can create a working relationship between the European commision and OSGEo.
Dirk will followup with Annekatrien how we can proceed.

other topics?

A next meeting with people from the OSGeo Europe Local chapter board will be scheduled asap.